The Final Choice
by torch baby
Summary: The title is bad, I know. My take on what would happen if Christine stayed with the Phantom at the end to save Raoul's life. Note: Not an EC story. Mainly Musical Based
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Hello to everyone who is reading this, I'll try to be brief. First off, this story will be a blend of book and musical, the book details will not be as abundant though as I am just using a few things. Also, this is what I feel would be a more 'realistic' alternative ending of Christine staying with the Phantom when given the choice between her life or Raoul's. This means that if you expected a nice, fluffy E/C story you came to the wrong place. Well, I won't keep you any longer, except to request reviews and all of that glorious stuff. I've only written one other fan fiction, and it was a short comic thing about one of the movie's goofs.  
Now, on with the story._

_PS: I don't own Phantom and for all I know this idea has been done before so I may not be as original as I thought._

'Make your choice!'  
It was an order, and Christine had never been able to disobey her angel. No, he was no angel. Erik was a man, a flesh and blood man who had done horrible things. And now he was taking advantage of her again, and of Raoul. It wasn't fair! Christine had never been able to make decisions, and now he was asking her to choose between life with him or the loss of Raoul. He had been right, she couldn't win. Either way she would never see Raoul again. He had rescued her scarf all those years ago without hesitation, and then he had tried so hard to rescue her without a thought to his own safety. It was all her fault! She couldn't let Raoul die because she had been foolish enough to cling to her father's promise of an Angel of Music. She couldn't let him die, she couldn't!

"Erik…" she began, her voice a whisper. She was going to cry, she knew it, but Christine was trying not to.

"Christine, don't do this! You can't remain his prisoner for my sake."  
His voice was even worse than hers. Even if it meant using the precious air he was being denied, he was still trying to sacrifice himself.

"I have to. I can't let you die because of me. Raoul…" That was when she started crying, the tears falling in a steady flow. "Erik, let him go. I'll stay here forever if you just let him go."

The Opera Ghost had been standing by silently ever since he had told Christine to make her choice, and now he moved to free his rival. Christine feared momentarily that he would kill Raoul anyway, but he merely loosened the Punjab lasso and let the younger man go. As soon as he was free Christine rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest. It didn't take long for either man to determine she was sobbing, trying to speak but unable to voice coherent words.

"Christine, you shouldn't have done this. It isn't too late to change your mind; I told you I'd do anything for you."

She started shaking her head, and one word was finally clear. "No."

It was repeated over and over again, echoing off the walls of the cavern."Christine."

One word, it was enough to make Christine stop her sobbing and look at the other man, her angel, the opera house's ghost and phantom.

"I think it is time you let the Vicomte take his leave."

Christine's response to this was to cling tighter, like a child to their mother. Part of Christine knew it was useless, that she had to let go of him, but she wasn't able to yet. She had meant she would stay with Erik if Raoul could live, but she wasn't ready to actually let him go.

"I'm not leaving her."

"If you don't leave we'll only end up in the same situation we were in before I let you go. You are not staying here; I will not house my rival so that my bride can cling to him while I stand by and watch. I've had enough of that in the past year."

Raoul was going to speak again, but Christine stopped him.

"He's right. He…he spared your life like he promised." Her voice was hoarse and weak, as pitiful as the tear-stained face that looked up at him. Raoul couldn't leave her here, Christine knew he couldn't. She had to make him leave.

"Please Raoul…he'll kill you if you don't go."

"I don't care."

"But I do. And if you die he may keep me because I already said I'd stay."

Raoul looked over at Erik, who had once again stood silent and unwavering, seemingly patient with the whole thing.

"Are you sure you want to do this Christine?"

She nodded. "I'll be alright, he won't hurt me." The last part was said almost as if she meant it to be a joking reassurance to Raoul, but both of them knew Christine wasn't sure about anything that the man would or wouldn't do. Only months earlier she hadn't thought he would do something like this.

"Christine…I love you."

"I love you too Raoul."

He made a move to kiss her, but Christine turned her head and finally let go of him, walking hesitantly to stand by Erik's side.

"You should be able to find your way out Monsieur le Vicomte, if you take the boat. And I'm sure you know that if any future attempts to reclaim Mademoiselle Daae are performed, whether by you or anyone, Christine's sacrifice for you will be in vain."

"I'm aware of that Monsieur."

"I'm glad we have an understanding on the subject."

Raoul nodded and focused again on Christine, her gaze was averted from both him and Erik.

"Goodbye Christine."

The final words of defeat. He turned and made his way to the boat, trying not to look back even as he heard Erik speak.

"Come Christine, you can't stand here by the lake forever."

Christine took one last look at Raoul's retreating figure and felt her own sense of defeat. Raoul had lived, she had saved him at the cost of her own life in a way far different than the loss he had been prepared to suffer.

She turned her face the other way and looked up into what she could see of Erik's face, which wasn't much. All she could see were his burning eyes and his mouth with its slightly malformed lips that seemed to be twisted into some small sort of smile. Was he happy for what he had done? Was he glad that he had caused so much suffering? The thought that he was pleased brought a new wave of tears. Ever since Christine had known Erik as a teacher she had wanted nothing more than to please him and she had finally done it completely. She had finally made it so he was happy with her, and the very thought that this was so made her feel nearly sick with grief.

_It's a bit dramatic (in a sissy way) in my opinion, and I don't know if I'll add anything to it, but bits of a story like this have been floating around in my head the past couple of days so I thought I'd let it out. If you have any opinions, just review. Unless they're just mean ones about how you hated it that don't specify what I could have fixed. You can keep those to yourself._


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: I'd like to say that out of the three reviews, one of them told me to continue this, so I guess I will (even though I'm not overly proud of this chapter). As for the other two, one also made me want to push onward. I've never actually replied to a review like this before, as the last two stories I had for this site were one shots. _

**I'lltrymybesttobeGlindatheGood: **_You asked me to go on and were my first review, so here is the next chapter._

**Ocher: **_I have to say I am not a total Raoul/Christine fan. I actually do like reading E/C stories I just find many of them to be unrealistic to the characters, and I have always thought that even if Christine loved Erik in some way, he also terrified her. _

**Virginie: **_I agree with you on Raoul giving up to easily, but aside from killing him (something I thought about doing but realized would give the story a far different ending if I went down that road) I couldn't think of any way to get rid of him. If I continue this past this chapter maybe he'll come back and attempt another daring rescue, who knows? As for Erik being mean…once I read that I realized you had a point. I'll try to soften him in this chapter, hopefully without going too far. _

_And now…Chapter 2._

There had been the initial silence. Christine's crying had resumed but the sobs were absent. Erik remained a quiet presence at her side as they walked away from the lake, both lost in whatever thoughts they held.

Christine sat on the first thing she was able to, staring off into space with eyes that didn't seem as if they would be dry again. Erik hadn't known for certain that she would remain here with him, or that she would have let the boy die for her freedom, all he had known was that either way she would not have been happy with him. He had expected the initial sobbing she had displayed earlier, but this silence that she exuded, this form that sat upon a chair with such utter stillness…he hadn't expected this.

"Christine…" he whispered tentatively. "You mustn't cry my dear; it isn't as horrible as you make it out to be."

The only thing that even suggested she had heard him were her eyes, they rolled slowly to look in his direction, but they still did not focus on him or anything in particular.

Maybe he shouldn't have made her decide. He knew more than anyone that Christine was a mere child. Both he and the Vicomte had taken advantage of that fact many times, possibly without fully realizing it. But she was here now, she had chosen to stay.

"No," he muttered to himself. "I forced her into it."

Erik felt something he had hardly ever felt in his life, remorse. He had felt nothing when he killed men, when he had blackmailed the opera house, and yet knowing he had done this to Christine made him feel a pang of guilt. His only thought to aid against the feeling was that she would grow used to her new life in time.

At least, he hoped she would.

"Christine, perhaps it would be best for you to go to bed for now. You should be more comfortable in your room."

This drew a result from her. The mention of the room caused her mouth to open and shut as if she were going to attempt words but gave-up before trying. Erik didn't understand why the mention of her room would cause a reaction; it had always been her room and hadn't changed.

"What's wrong? Christine, if you don't wish to retire to bed yet you don't have to."

A small sob broke free from her throat and her tiny hands clenched the fabric of the wedding-gown's skirt.

"The thought that anything here is mine," she managed to say. "That room…the room with all of your mother's belongings. It seems fitting that I should stay there amongst the things which belonged to her."

She seemed to be speaking to herself more than him, as if she were merely uttering her thoughts aloud.

"Why is that? You are nothing like my mother."

"Yes I am. She hated you once, and now so do I." She flinched as soon as the last word left her lips, as if afraid he'd strike her for the remark.

"So you hate me too then?"

She nodded slowly. Christine wasn't sure if what she felt towards Erik now was hate, or just a deeper fear that had come from the knowledge she would never leave his home. She was frightened, distraught, upset in every imaginable way, if Erik was the cause of this surely all of it amounted to hate?

"I'm sorry; I'll go to my room now."

She stood from her chair and backed the first two steps before heading for her room, surprised Erik hadn't said anything more. Tomorrow would be worse, of course it would. She wouldn't be ready to face him again, and was unsure how he would act tomorrow. Would he still be happy with her?

It was nonsense that she worried about his happiness. Christine had done so before, after learning some things about his life, but why should she worry about him now? Did he care that he had forced her into sending Raoul away? Into living with him forever in the cold darkness of the house by the lake? Of course he didn't! He claimed to love her and he had done this to her, how could those two things possibly both be true?

"I do hate him," she sobbed to the room, throwing herself onto the bed. "I do!"

It hadn't been enough she had feared him, now she hated him too. Part of him knew that Christine would recover from any anger she felt and return to quiet obedience once she finished mourning her lost Vicomte and life.

He was surprised still though, that she had sent the boy away, and that he had left so quickly. Erik had expected another fight, another valiant attempt to rescue his lady-love from the clutches of a monster. He would be back though; Erik knew that boy wouldn't leave Christine down here for long.

Apparently Christine didn't think this; Erik could hear her renewed sobs coming from her room. Her voice was going to sound terrible tomorrow, if she could even use it.

Tomorrow.

How was that going to be? Would she look at him, would she even leave her room? He doubted it. All he could be certain of was she wouldn't attempt to escape, she'd more than likely just stay in that room until she was forced to come out.

How long that would take, and what could possibly make Christine leave her room was something of a mystery though.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello again, I gained more readers and got a burst of writing confidence, which is why I am presenting chapter 3 of this story. To any new readers, welcome aboard! To old ones, I reply individually because all of you make me happy with your nice reviews._

**I'llTryMyBestTobBeGlindatheGood: **_From now on I am calling you Glinda; I'm too lazy to type your full username. Also, thank you for being so quick to review both chapters._

**AngelicRose8: **_It may end up R/C, who knows? But I assure you it will not be fluff. Unless it ends up as fluff and I don't realize it, but I'll try not to let that happen._

**Truth Questor: **_Hopefully you'll figure out how you feel about the story. Thanks for the punctuation-being-good part of your review. Frankly, I feel my punctuation needs work, I've been told I'm a comma abuser and I also don't fully understand colons._

**designer kisses: **_Here's your update. And yes, Christine needs to watch her mouth when talking to Erik. He is known to have a temper. Or at least certain versions are._

**Ocher: **_I think that this will become a story. How long it will be? I'm not sure. And thank you for calling my story original, it makes me feel better about it. Also, I do hate the unrealistic E/C stories. They annoy me and I try to avoid them._

**jtbwriter: **_I noticed you agreed with Ocher on the unrealism of some stories, and as for how you want the story to end, well…I will try to make everyone happy in some way._

**Virginie: **_I didn't take your last review in the negative, and I am glad my Erik is more to your liking. I have issues with him for some reason and my biggest fear is my characterization of him won't be consistent, so I am trying to work out how he acts in my story early on. As for Raoul, I know that a lot of people don't like him and as I said I will try to make everyone happy in some way. _

_But a few of you have contradictory wants for this story so I may end up just going ahead with whatever my imagination churns out._

_And now that the replies are out of the way, on with Chapter 3!_

She left her room after a day, her eyes swollen and red from crying. Christine still wore the wedding dress, something that both surprised and didn't fully shock Erik. On the one hand a wedding dress was proof she would be his bride, on the other hand she hadn't wanted to think of the room as hers: why would she wish to wear the clothing that was there for her?

"Erik?"

He had been sitting on a chair, reading. He hadn't dared play any music for fear it might have some adverse effect on Christine's state. Her voice, shy and cracked, was the real surprise to him. He hadn't expected her to speak to him unless she absolutely had to.

"Yes Christine?"

"I…I…I don't know."

Christine had had something to say, she had left her room with something to say to him, but now she could not remember it. Had she been ready to apologize for what she said? Back it up with further harsh words? Had she been ready to ask for music or food or something else?

"That's alright Christine; you don't have to say anything yet. And it's probably best for you to rest your voice after…after using it as you did last night."

She nodded and took a seat, though it was the one farthest from him.

There were a few more moments of awkward silence (something Erik suspected there would be a lot of) before Christine spoke again.

"Do you think I can ever return to the opera to sing again?"

This was something he had thought about in passing, and he didn't really want to give her the answer when Christine still seemed so fragile. But when Christine asked a question and it wasn't answered she tended to dwell on it.

"No. I don't think you could. Even if your voice is far better than that of La Carlotta, or whoever is going to replace her should she decide to leave after what happened, I don't think your leaving here would be a good thing."

"I understand."

"There's no reason why your lessons shouldn't continue though, should you wish to continue them."

"What's the point?" she asked, her voice holding a hint of bitterness. "If I cannot sing in another opera and my only audience would be you."

As she had done before when she compared herself with Erik's mother, Christine flinched and shied away as if she would be struck.

"I suppose it should come as no surprise that my being an audience for your voice is no longer satisfactory," he spat out, getting up from his seat. "But if it's merely for the fact you'll never sing onstage again you cannot think I am the only one who would stop you. Do you think, had you run away from the opera house and married the Vicomte that you would be permitted to sing here or anywhere else? That as the wife of an aristocrat you'd be allowed to continue your career? Though I highly doubt you'd refuse your husband the sound of your voice! That even if he told you to never set foot on a stage again you'd decide to quit singing altogether!"

"Erik….Angel…"

"I'm not your Angel, Christine. You stopped treating me as such when you tore my mask away with your curious fingers and drank in the sight with frightened eyes!"

He moved towards her, causing Christine to shrink back further against the back of her own chair.

"Don't you understand Christine? I laid all of Paris at your feet, gave you everything I had to offer! If it weren't for me, that boy wouldn't even have recognized you, and yet as soon as you saw me for the man I was, you ran straightaway into his arms."

He went to his knees, and Christine saw in his eyes an almost pleading look. She had known how much she had hurt him, but she had never wanted to face it again.

"Christine…I love you and you know nothing but fear for me. What more do I have to offer you to make you see that I would never harm you?"

She tried to find her voice again, but she had never been accustomed to Erik's shifts in mood from anger to depression. They only served to further frighten her.

"I….I don't know. If… maybe if you let me go Erik. If you let me leave here."

He stood up quickly, towering over her again. Christine had known that asking to leave wouldn't be a good idea, but it was the only idea she had had.

"Christine, you promised to stay here. You know very well I'm not letting you leave after all I did for that. You've broken other promises to me, I intend for you to keep this one."

He turned his back to her and made his way to his own room, leaving Christine alone again.

………………………………………………………………………………………

How he had made his way out of the darkness of the cellars was beyond him. And how he could have left Christine behind was even more of a mystery.

Raoul hadn't planned on leaving her, he had even been fully ready to die for Christine's freedom, but she had told him to go. He couldn't stay gone for long though, even after he had been further threatened by a murderer. He couldn't leave Christine down there for long, let alone forever.

The Vicomte had made his way home, and had been surprised the morning after to hear that he was considered missing by most of the press within the city. It was the least of his worries though; all he wanted was to think of a way to rescue Christine from the clutches of a madman once and for all.

_I told you he might come back. Sorry this update took a little longer, I've been busy and suffering from writer's block on this story. So please review and…you know what to do._


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